2nd Test - Melbourne Cricket Ground

The Match Report - click on the required day for session report.

Day 1 - report
Day 2 - report
Day 3 - report

Day 4 Report - The Final Day

The great thing about cricket is the fact that it can only take a handful of balls to change a game - and so it proved in this game of fluctuating events. The last day met with the smallest crowd willing to part with their hard earned money in these great days of depression, maybe not so great. The locals disappointed with the home side expected the tourists to wrap up the comfortable victory with time to spare.

According to the players the wicket had taken a dramatic turn overnight. O'Reilly was the first to benefit when he clean bowled Sutcliffe without any addition to his overnight score. Leyland was the next to go, a victim of a ball that kept low, rebounding off his pads and removed the bails with a trickle - 2 wickets had fallen on 53 after so much promise was shown initially.

With both Ironmonger and O'Reilly turning the ball considerably, Pataudi (who hadn't looked at ease at any time since his century) played a halfhearted shot and fell to a Fingleton catch. Jardine lasted only 3 balls when he was caught at slip off a fast turning ball. England were now 4 for 70 and in deep trouble. Sevens runs later, Ames was caught, Fingleton taking a great catch giving O'Reilly his 3rd victim. Hammond followed after trying to push the pace and off a poorly judged shot was caught in the deep by O'Brien.

The end was not long in coming, O'Reilly managed to take 5 wickets for 66 and ironmonger 4 for 26, a magnificent spell of bowling. England were all out for 139 runs, Australia winning by 111 runs.